Display rack

ABSTRACT

A display rack so constructed that it may be shipped disassembled and may be readily assembled and interlocked without the use of any tools, bolts, nuts or extraneous fastening elements. It is interlocked by merely positioning the parts relative to each other and interengaging the locking elements. The display rack includes a pair of uprights, a base having side members, a detachable shelf member with a detachable kick plate, and means extending between the uprights for supporting the bottom of the display board, which may be an apertured board or the like.

PATENIED was] I97! SHEET 1 0F 2 ATTORNEY PATENTED M1831 |97l SHEET 2 OF2 FIG.4

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ATTORNEY DISPLAY RACK BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ()ne of the objectsof this invention is to provide a display rack which may be made ofparts which can be packed and shipped or transported in a collapsedcondition to occupy a minimum of space and which may be readilyassembled and set up without the use of any tools, bolts, nuts, orextraneous fastening elements merely by interlocking the parts relativeto each other.

Another object of this invention is to provide a very simple andinexpensive rack which may be readily assembled and set up in a minimumof time and with minimum effort without the use of any tools.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded forming thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4.is a sectional view of the panel cap adjacent the end thereof andshowing the locking tongues.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a portion of the panel cap with the means forretaining or backing up the display board.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a view showing the shelf of the base member and the sidemember and the means by which same are interlocked.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a modified form and the manner in which theside member of the base is secured to the upright.

perspective view of the display rack FIG. '10 is a sectional view ofFIG. 9 and showing the parts in a locked position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1 which shows thecomponent elements forming the put-together display rack, the individualcomponents will be referred to generally and then will be subsequentlydescribed in detail.

The display rack includes a pair of upright members generally indicatedat 12, both of which are of identical construction. A pair ofconventional apertured display boards or panels are shown to besupported between the spaced upright members 12. It will be understoodthat in lieu of the pair a single apertured board or panel may also beused. The inner end of each of the display boards when used in pairsfits into a vertically positioned I-I-shaped strip 16. Slots. 18 areprovided along the length of the front of the uprights to accommodatethe hooks of shelves 20 which are detachably secured thereto. Thedisplay boards 14 are supported in a channel on the rear of the baseshelf, generally designated by the numeral 22, which in turn rests onand is secured to the side members 24 of the base.

The base of the display rack comprises the base shelf 22, a pair of sidemembers 24, and a front kick plate 26 which is secured to the sidemembers 24. A panel cap 28 is positioned across the top of the uprightmembers and is locked thereto and this locks the entire unit together.

The display rack is so constructed that it may be readily assembled andinterlocked without the use of any tools, bolts, nuts or extraneousfastening elements and it is interlocked by merely positioning .theparts relative to each other and interengag'ing the locking elementsofsaid parts. Likewise, the display rack may be readily disassembledmerely by disengaging the elements from each other without the use ofany tools and the parts can be packed in a collapsed condition in aminimum of space either for shipment or for storage. Fastening elementssuch as bolts, screws or the like are not necessary for assembling thedisplay rack, hence, there is no likelihood of any parts being lost.Each of the component parts fits into place and the rack may beassembled in a relatively short period of time.

The .upright members 12, shown best in FIGS. 1 and 6, are formed ofmetal. Since both uprights are identical a description of one willsuffice. The upright includes a sidewall 30 with a pair of spacedinturned front and rear walls 31 and 32 at right angles to the sidewall.The front wall 31 of the upright is provided with spacedrectangular-shaped slots 18 substantially throughout the length of theupright. The slots are intended to accommodate the shelves presently tobe described. The front and rear walls 31 and 32 of the uprights arealso provided with slots 19 adjacent the top thereof to receive thelocking tongues of the panel cap 28. The upright has an L-shaped strip34 welded or brazed thereto which has a front wall 35 spaced from thefront wall 31 or the upright and with said front wall provides alongitudinally extending channel 36, each channel being adapted toreceive one side of a display board therein.

Permanently secured at the bottom of the upright by welding or otherwiseis a side member 24 which has an inwardly extending horizontal flange 38at the top which is short of the length of the side member and which isprovided with three spaced rectangular-shaped slots 39. The front of theside member 24 has a front inwardly extending flange 40 provided withthree rectangular-shaped slots 41. The upper edge of the side memberprojects forwardly of the front flange to form a lip 42. The kick plate26 is adapted to be interlocked with the side members. The kick platehas a front wall 44 and rearwardly extending inverted L-shaped hookmembers 45 which are adapted to be inserted into the slots 41 in theflange 40 of the side members to lock the kick plate thereto. The top ofthe kick plate is provided with a rearwardly extending flange 46 whichterminates short of the opposite ends of the kick plate.

I The shelf 22 which forms the top of the base member has a downwardlyturned front flange 48 which is inclined forwardly at an obtuse angle,best shown in FIG. 8, which then inclines inwardly as at 49 and thenupwardly as at 50. The rear of shelf 22 has a downwardly extending rearflange 52 which continues rearwardly as at 53 and then upwardly as at 54to form a channel 55 to receive the lower edges of the two displayboards 14. The display boards therefore rest on the rear end of theshelf 22 and are supported thereby.

Locking members 58 (FIG. 8) are struck out or formed from the metalforming the base shelf 22 adjacent the outer edges of the shelf andthese locking members are adapted to enter the rectangular-shaped slots39 in the flanges 38 when the shelf is positioned to rest on the flanges38 of the side members and locked with said side members, such as whenthe bottom shelf is moved rearwardly, i.e., in the direction of theuprights. The channel 55 of the bottom shelf will then be positioned invertical alignment with the vertical channels 36 of the uprights 12adjacent the bottom thereof so that the display board or boards 14 willrest therein. When the display boards are positioned in the channel 55they will lock the shelf 22 and prevent its withdrawal and/orremovalfrom the sides 24. The shelf 22 has no downwardly extending sidesbut rests on the flanges 38 of the side members 24. The central H-shapedstrip 16 is positioned so that the bottom thereof rests in the bottomshelf 22 and when positioned midway of the length of the bot tom shelfwill receive the inner edges of each of the two adjacent display boardsto support same firmly therein.

The panel cap 28 is provided with a top wall 60 and spaced downwardlydepending flanges 62 and the flanges each have adjacent their ends apair of spaced struckout tongues 64 and 65 which extend inwardly of theflanges adjacent the edges thereof (FIG. 4). When the panel cap ispositioned over the uprights the tongues 64 will enter square-shapedslots 19 at the top thereof and lock therewith. Tongues 65 will engagethe edge 31a of the flange 31. The panel cap 28 is provided with spacedVshaped depressed tongues 66' formed from the wall 60, best shown inFIG. 5, which are positioned to extend rear wardly of the display boardsso that said tongues 66 provide additional retaining or backing upsupport for the tops of the display boards. The centrally positionedtongue 66 engages the rear of the upright H-shaped strip 116 to supportit at the top thereof. In lieu of the tongues a right angled strip maybe secured to the panel cap which forms with the flange 62 a channel forreceiving the top edges of the display boards.

When the parts are assembled they are connected and interlocked, asexplained. Each part tends to lock the preceding part in place. Thepanel cap 28 is the last part to be connected and interlocked and wheninterlocked it locks the entire unit together and supports the displayboards in a firmly secured position.

The shelves 20 are secured to the front walls 31 of the uprights 12. Theshelves 20 are each provided with rearwardly extending hooks 66a whichare adapted to be inserted into two adjacent slots 18 to lock theshelves to the front of the uprights. The spaced slots in the uprightspermit the shelves to be positioned at any desired elevation and lockedin such position.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a modification in which the side members 24 of thebase are detachably secured instead of being welded or otherwisepermanently secured to the uprights. In the modification the uprightdesignated by the numeral 12 has a front wall 68, the lower portion ofwhich is provided with spaced slots 71. The sidewall 69 of the uprighthas a tit 70 formed therein. L-shaped hook members 72 extend rearwardlyof the side members 24' and they are adapted to be inserted into theslots 71 to lock the side members to the uprights. The hook members 72of the side member are inserted into the slots 71 at an inclined angle,as shown in full lines in FIG. 9, so that the uppermost hook member 72is clear of the tit 70, and then the side member is lowered and swunginto alignment at right angles to the front wall 68 of the upright, asshown in FIG. 10, in which the uppermost hook member 72 is directlyunder the tit 70, which prevents the side member from being raised andprevents it from becoming disengaged from the upright as long as it ispositioned perpendicular to the front wall 68 of the upright. Todisengage the side member from the upright the side member would have tobe swung outwardly, as shown in full lines in FIG. 9, so that theuppermost hook member 72 could clear the tit 70.

Iclaim: I

l. A display rack comprising a plurality of spaced uprights each havinga sidewall and a front wall at right angles to said sidewall and alongitudinal channel parallel with said front wall and forwardly of therear of said sidewall, said channel adapted to support a display boardtherebetween, a base which includes a plurality of side members eachattached to an upright and extending forwardly thereof, said sidemembers each having a sidewall and an inwardly extending horizontalflange at right angles to said sidewall and a front flange, each saidflange having spaced openings, a kick plate having rearwardly extendinghook members to engage said front flange openings to detachably securesaid kick plate to said side members at the forward end thereof, abottom shelf adapted to rest on said horizontal flanges and havinglocking members adapted to engage said openings in said horizontalflanges of said side members to secure said shelf to said side members,means extending between the side members above the bottom of said sidemembers on which the lower end of the display board rests, and a capmember detachably secured to the top of said uprights to extend acrossthe top of the display board; said uprights at the front thereof and ashelf having rearwardly extending hooking member engaging the openingsin the front wall of the uprights to detachably secure said shelves tosaid uprights. c8

2. A display rack as set forth in claim 1 in which the front wall of theupright is provided with a plurality of spaced openings adjacent thebottom and a projection is provided in said uprights immediately abovethe top opening and in which the rear of the side members forming thebase have rearwardly extending locking members which engage the slots inthe front wall of the uprights and in which the locking members areinserted into said slots at an inclined angle and when the side membersare moved perpendicular to said front wall of the uprights the sidemembers will be locked by the tit in the uprights to prevent thesidemembers from being moved upwardly in relation to the uprights.

3. A display rack as set forth in claim 1 in which the uprights have anopening adjacent the top thereof and in which the cap member has tonguesentering said openings and locking therein to detachably secure said capto said uprights.

4. A display rack as set forth in claim 1 in which the means extendingbetween the side members of the base for receiving the lower edge of thedisplay board is a channel formed at the rear of the shelf member sothat when the lower edge of the display board is in said channel theshelf will be locked against forward movement and when the cap member isattached to said uprights the display board will be locked in a securedposition in said display rack with the interconnecting partsinterlocked.

5. A display rack as set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of displayboards are supported between a pair of uprights and an H-shaped memberis positioned between the inner ends of the pair of display boards tocentrally support the display boards.

6. A display rack as set forth in claim 1 in which the cap member hasdepressed tongues to engage the rear of the display board adjacent thetop thereof to support same.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. j, 02,59 Dated August 31, 1971 1nventor(s) Howard J. Marechak It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 13, after "uprights" insert have slots line 26, "tit"should read projection Signed and eealed this 12th day, of December1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents RM PO-105O (10-69) a u s, sovsnnmzm' Pmmmo orncs; waschase-an,

1. A display rack comprising a plurality of spaced uprights each havinga sidewall and a front wall at right angles to said sidewall and alongitudinal channel parallel with said front wall and forwardly of therear of said sidewall, said channel adapted to support a display boardtherebetween, a base which includes a plurality of side members eachattached to an upright and extending forwardly thereof, said sidemembers each having a sidewall and an inwardly extending horizontalflange at right angles to said sidewall and a front flange, eaCh saidflange having spaced openings, a kick plate having rearwardly extendinghook members to engage said front flange openings to detachably securesaid kick plate to said side members at the forward end thereof, abottom shelf adapted to rest on said horizontal flanges and havinglocking members adapted to engage said openings in said horizontalflanges of said side members to secure said shelf to said side members,means extending between the side members above the bottom of said sidemembers on which the lower end of the display board rests, and a capmember detachably secured to the top of said uprights to extend acrossthe top of the display board; said uprights at the front thereof and ashelf having rearwardly extending hooking member engaging the openingsin the front wall of the uprights to detachably secure said shelves tosaid uprights. c8
 2. A display rack as set forth in claim 1 in which thefront wall of the upright is provided with a plurality of spacedopenings adjacent the bottom and a projection is provided in saiduprights immediately above the top opening and in which the rear of theside members forming the base have rearwardly extending locking memberswhich engage the slots in the front wall of the uprights and in whichthe locking members are inserted into said slots at an inclined angleand when the side members are moved perpendicular to said front wall ofthe uprights the side members will be locked by the tit in the uprightsto prevent the side members from being moved upwardly in relation to theuprights.
 3. A display rack as set forth in claim 1 in which theuprights have an opening adjacent the top thereof and in which the capmember has tongues entering said openings and locking therein todetachably secure said cap to said uprights.
 4. A display rack as setforth in claim 1 in which the means extending between the side membersof the base for receiving the lower edge of the display board is achannel formed at the rear of the shelf member so that when the loweredge of the display board is in said channel the shelf will be lockedagainst forward movement and when the cap member is attached to saiduprights the display board will be locked in a secured position in saiddisplay rack with the interconnecting parts interlocked.
 5. A displayrack as set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of display boards aresupported between a pair of uprights and an H-shaped member ispositioned between the inner ends of the pair of display boards tocentrally support the display boards.
 6. A display rack as set forth inclaim 1 in which the cap member has depressed tongues to engage the rearof the display board adjacent the top thereof to support same.